Black Rider (The Casting of the Magic Bullets) Movie Review

What are the deals we all make with the devil and what will they cost us? It sounds strange to ask this question out loud but give it some thought. Examine the pathways and routines of your daily life. What are the bargains we strike, never thinking about when the bill will come? For some it's the bottle. We drink and then construct huge fortresses of reasons why. We gamble and then rearrange the rest of our lives to meet our debuts. Some deals are emotional. A man beats his wife and in the aftermath they whisper lovingly how this will be the last time. A deal with the devil doesn't necessarily involve a horned man with goatee, tail and a pitchfork. The devil, or evil, is implicit in every dark choice we make. At the heart of all of these dealings is a sense of borrowed time. There's no possible sustainability to these scenarios. As William S. Burroughs has made clear in his writings on addiction, there exists a, Geometry of Need. The more one does of whatever the substanc e, emotion or action, the more one needs to do. This exponential relationship has no happy ending. The costs are eventually extracted and won't be denied. These musings form the underlying center of the Robert Wilson, Tom Waits and William S. Burroughs musical, The Black Rider.

The Black Rider is not for the feint of heart. It is, simply put, a scouring. You leave the theatre almost at a loss for words to address the spectacle you've just witnessed. Elements of Kabuki, Balinese theatre, carnival sideshows and German Expressionism swirl, grimace and float into a singular vision of choices and consequences. The story follows the misfortunes of Wilhelm as he seeks to marry Kathchen, the daughter of a forest dwelling hunter. His occupation as a clerk is deemed unworthy and he sets about winning the approval of Kathchen's father by proving himself with a gun. After a miserable failure, he tries again. This time he meets Pegleg (the devil) and strikes a bargain that unfolds for the rest of the play.

Musically, we are treated to a fine sampling of some of Tom Waits' familiar territory. It's a seductive mix of decadent German Jazz and old world balladry. The band (The Magic Bullets) playing at the Ahmanson Theatre was amazing. Their skill and timing worked so well as to make the music become an unseen character, one integral to the on-stage action. Visually the play is both delightful and hypnotic. A good comparison are the sets and scenery used in such classic expressionist cinema as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu. At times it felt as though those films had come to life and were now playing themselves out in full color on the stage. Color and lighting are also key elements in telling the tale. Simple backdrops and small spotlights shift between vivid reds, blues and greens highlighting and commenting on the various scenes. The actor's makeup and costumes go back once again to German Expressionism for inspiration. The actor's fro zen and contorted expressions combined with whole body gestures bring to mind both Kabuki and Balinese theatre. As in both of those styles of performance, actors freeze into poses serving as signifiers of an archetype or mental state. The actor's moves are accented by wonderful clanking percussion and sound effects. The colors, costumes, sounds and staging all combine to great effect. It was an honor to sit for a couple of hours and witness this play.

One of the many functions of art is to pose questions. Some art also provides answers or examples. The Black Rider poses many questions; what will be the cost of this choice? How can we live with the outcomes of our actions? Why do we often choose the easy way out? The play asks many questions and while providing an example of one outcome, leaves us to find our own answers. The devil turns out to be sympathetic, even likable. The hero shows his true cowardly nature. It turns out that the black and white certainties of lif e are overshadowed by the grey area and the ambiguous.

Once again, 'The Black Rider is not for the feint of heart. At the performance I witnessed a handful of the sold-out crowd got up and left. I caught a few of their bewildered and disapproving scowls as they walked down the aisles towards the exits. I suppose that when confronted with the macabre and Grand Guignol tableau playing itself out in front of them, they recoiled. This play strikes awfully close to home. While it might not be for the feint of heart I would put forth that no meaningful art is.

Blog San Diego is an online resource for live music reviews, cd reviews, music news & features.

Author:: Kiva Boyd
Keywords:: black rider,robert wilson,tom waits,william burroughs,Movie review
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ABC's Lost versus Fox's American Idol

What's good on TV these days? Gone are the golden days of half-hour gameshows and soap operas, with the exception of maybe Hollywood Squares and General Hospital. So what's new in the menu? Come the new millenium, the world is slapped with some programs never before seen on Television. Here, I would like to compare two of Television's recent prized possessions.

Lost If given only one word to describe this incomparable piece of fiction, it would be 'unique'. You won't be able to find a similar show anytime soon; it's genre ranges from mystery to suspense and maybe even thriller. Taking place in a faraway jungle-island, Lost is a depiction of several very different characters together, or sometimes separately, facing the dangers the island has to offer. How could one fabricate an intricate, believable story with this setting? The creators of Alias managed to pull it off with impressive results.

Adding to its uniqueness is that every episode focuses on one charac ter, a portion of his/her past (with cleverly placed flashbacks), and how each of them overcomes the difficulties in their hearts. While the plane crash survivors deal with conflicts within themselves, the secrets of the island slowly unfolds. None of them could imagine what lies beyond the sandy beaches and the green jungles. There is even a hint that all of them might be there because of destiny. (I would not call these spoilers, there is so much more to the story)

The first season has earned itself an astounding array of awards, much deserved undoubtedly. If shows like The O.C and Smallville are breaths of fresh air, Lost would be an oxygen tank. Even through half of season 2, the end doesn't look anywhere close. So much of open space for story-telling, a whole island, in fact. Five full stars, hands down.

America currently awaits episode 15 of Season 2 while Malaysia anticipates its third episode on AXN-Asia.

American Idol An ocean-consuming success th at has gained world-wide following even up the fifth season; this is American Idol. Reality TV has no prouder offsprings. This twice-a-week (now thrice) show attracts at least two kinds of people: the aspiring stars and their fans. Every year, thousands of hopefuls went the extra mile to take that one shot at stardom, or to simply make fools of themselves (intentionally or not).

The first section of American Idol sees the process of finding the needle in the haystack to pick the best of rest by three contrasting (though not necessarily contradicting) judges. This is one thing never before conceived, never before televised method of making stars out of singers. The filtering process gives a chance for the people at home to start liking some of the lads and lasses they see on the tube. Once the jaded shows begin, fans can vote for their favourite performers to keep them in the competition week after week. A system like this gives the audience a chance to determine the ou tcome of the show, making this Television show a two-way transaction. Hence the mass appeal.

Everything about this show is absolutely, or relatively new in the face of the world. Singing competitions often don't get televised, viewers only get to sit and watch before this, and they don't have to adore fictional characters anymore. It's the real thing: the winner proves him/herself to be the most likable (nobody said it's a talent show, it's all about America's chosen one). All in good effort to produce albums that people would rush to the stores to buy; a profitable collaboration of Television, record companies, and the phone company.

Comparing these two very different Television shows may not be give you a new outlook on them. But my conclusion is that the realm of TV has expanded its borders tremendously over the past decade. Entertainment through the same medium cannot be generalized anymore; it's a whole new world with different continents.

A communicat ions student at HELP University College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A Chinese urbanite making sense of the world and noting observations. Just a amateur blogger aiming for the sky. http://www.wongkeenhing.com

Author:: Justin Wong
Keywords:: Television,Tv,american idol,Lost,Fox,Abc
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Indiana Jones Returns Too Little Too Late?

For those who came of age in the 1980s during a time of sleek consumerism and homogenous globalization, Indiana Jones was something of an idol. Harking back to a time when the jungles of South America and the Pyramids of Egypt were truly a world away, the Indiana Jones trilogy excited in us a feeling of adventure that has been rarely seen before or since.

The popularity of the Indiana Jones Movies stems not just from the fact that they were directed and acted by some of the greatest Hollywood talent of the day, but also from the fact that the Movies were classic adventures. They were swashbuckling epics that found an ideal mix of adv enture, intrigue and mystery, steeped in myth and mysticism.

This formula was clearly successful. The first Indiana Jones Movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was the highest grossing Movie of 1981 and was nominated for eight Academy Awards (of which it won four). The following two instalments, Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade, fared almost as well, each winning an Academy Award and grossing hundreds of millions of dollars.

Since 1989, though, all has been quiet on the Indy front. Despite regular calls for a fourth Movie there were no developments for years. Rumor and hearsay surrounded plans for the fourth Indiana Jones Movie since 1995, when Last Crusade writer Jeffrey Boam was asked to write a script.

Since then, several screenwriters and directors have attempted to take on the project -- including Chris Columbus (Home Alone), M Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) and Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) -- without success.

Finally, though, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford have accepted a script written by David Koepp (Spiderman, War of the Worlds). As of July 2006 Spielberg and Koepp were fine-tuning the screenplay in advance of pre-production, expected to begin in early 2007.

The question that will be repeatedly posed by fans of the series over the next couple of years is this: will it be possible to recreate the magic of the original trilogy? Hollywood has moved on since the 1980s, and audiences have come to demand big budget CGI and dazzling visual effects. Despite winning the Academy Award for Visual Effects with Temple of Doom, the appeal of the Indiana Jones Movies was never in their special effects. In fact, Temple of Doom -- admitted by Lucas and Spielberg as the most visual effects-heavy of the trilogy -- saw the most disappointing box office performance of the three.

The main concern, though, is Harrison Ford's age. Already in his 40s in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ford will be at least 65 when filming begins on the fourth Movie. Even with the use of makeup, camera trickery and stuntmen, how can it be possible to remain faithful to the original trilogy when the star is old enough to draw a pension?

Despite these worries, however, one thing is certain. Come the release date a couple of years from now we'll see a sudden surge in the sales of fedoras and bullwhips. He may be old enough to qualify for a buss pass, but there's something about Indiana Jones that brings out the child in us all.

James Shenton is an entertainment writer and gossip columnist. James can often be found writing about Movie trilogies such as Indiana Jones and Star Wars (don't get him started on the last three episodes). For similar articles and film downloads, take a look at http://www.EliteMovieDownloads.com.

Author:: James Shenton
Keywords:: Indiana Jones,Raiders of the Lost Ark,Temple of Doom,The Last Crusade,Harrison Ford,George Lucas
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Rent Movies Online The Easy Way to Rent

Why most Americans rent Movies today - how you can save money on Movie rentals online. Rent Movies online and save yourself time and money if renting on a monthly basis.

So how do you think most Americans entertain themselves these days? Some of the most celebrated weekend activities include shopping, going to the Movies renting Movies or having dinner with friends. When it comes to daily entertainment, many people enjoy their spare time and low cost of recreational choices like viewing television, playing video games, and renting Movies online.

Why Rent Movies?

People rent Movies for many incompar able reasons. One of the most popular departments at your local video store is the new Movie releases section. This is where people go to find the most recent films available. Its a good way to catch up on all the the flicks you missed in the theater. Its also a magnificent way to save money. Before watching a Movie at the theaters, many people decide to wait for it to come out on DVD. Several films are ready for rent within months of their theatrical debut.

Some people rent titles to preview them for their DVD collections. While the cost of DVDs has declined in recent years, most people still dont want to add a Movie to their compilation until they know that they enjoy the Movie and will watch it again. A DVD rental club is often the best choice for Movie buffs. Normally these clubs offer incentives for people who rent DVDs several times a month.

Whether youre a cinema buff, or just rent Movies on occasions, there are many excellent vide o stores and websites devoted to serving you. The local store is an excellent choice for last minute rentals. The online services are also a great way of renting without the hassles of traveling. They also offer very competitive prices if you rent more than a few times a month. With a little bit of planning youll always have a reserve of quality DVDs. There are no late fees, no shipping fees, and at just $20 a month, these sites pay for themselves after just three or four rentals. Netflix, Blockbuster Online, and Intelliflix are just a few in the business that can be worth their weight in gold in the long run.

The #1 Rated Online Movie Rental Club Review Guide. Expert Reviews, Offers, Articles, Movies, and Theatre Releases. http://www.Movierentalclubguide.com/go.php?c=asp&s=rmo

Author:: John Hinkley
Keywords:: rent Movies online, rent Movies, rent Movie, rent a Movie, renting Movies, Movie rentals
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Dateline Child Predators

The Internet has its positives and negatives. Some of its positive are the information it can provide people with, it is good for socializing with people, and if can be used to make money. One of many negative of the Internet is that it can be used for the purpose of child enticement. Many parents may not have understood how big the problem was until dateline began to run child predator shows a few years back.

In these child predator show men are lured to a home with the impression that they are meeting a young boy or girl. Once they arrive they are surprised to see a journalist and cameras. The thing that dateline has done by doing this is alert parents of the dangers that are online so that they can make sure their child is not lured in by an adult. The shows may also entice some predators to get help so that they do not put themselves in a position to be exposed on national television as a pervert.

The best thing the shows do is let parents know that they ha ve to educate themselves about the Internet and advances in technology since it changes to often. When parents do not do that, that is when horrible things happen.

Andre Bias is a webmaster and is the owner of http://www.enlargementdeals.com, http://www.goodbyeacne.net, and http://www.inkjetdealz.com

Author:: Andre Bias
Keywords:: Internet, Sex, Porn, child predators, Molestation, child abuse
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Jon Jost Independent Filmmaker 1 2 3 Four

Jon Jost, independent film-maker. The early Films

4. 1, 2, 3, Four

Jon Jost's 1, 2, 3, Four' (1969-70) is another early short from which elements, both thematic and formal, can be traced into the features. It is an essay on political and social problems, constructed as a montage of images, dialogue, printed texts, readings, and action. The arrangement of these elements creates a dialectical process in which points of view are played off against one another both within each scene, and in the juxtaposition of scenes.

One short scene neatly illustrates Jost's aim (discussed earlier in connection with the scene which pans across four people) of translating his ideas into film:

A man is sitting at a work bench assembling a bomb, while reading aloud a passage which equates poetry and revolution. At the end of the reading he drops a lighted match into a tin can, and a little explosion sends up a puff of smoke. In front of the can is a clapper-board.

Jost is equating his film with a terrorist's bomb, both being intended to shock us into taking note of a message, and at the same time asserting his belief that a film is a better medium for the communication of his radical ideas than a bomb. Jost's bomb is purely visual, a harmless but potent tool designed to entertain us while he delivers his message.

The main subject of the film, however, is the difficulty of communication between people with polarised attitudes. Subtitled 'An Essay on Domestic Problems', (domestic in two senses), the film looks at private conflict and national conflict, and at the inseparability of the two. Perhaps the most important kind of polarisation, with regard to later development in the features, is that between male and female attitudes. The couple in the film do not talk to, or listen to each other, they are constantly arguing, and therefore not communicating.

He puts a record on the stereo, she takes it off. He puts it on again, she takes it off again.

He: Why are we living together?

She: Because you don't like to be alone. And because you're good in bed.

Voice: How do you translate happiness?

She: Money.

Voice: How do you translate love?

She: F - .

He: The dishes are dirty.

She: (angry) I don't feel like doing the dishes.

A plate is smashed.

Persistent confrontation without communication leads to the impoverishment of human values, such as love and happiness, and to destruction. And any hope of communication is thwarted by their irreconcilable attitudes to life.

She: Are you happy?

He: I can't be happy while General Motors exists.

She: What would make you happy?

He: To be rid of General Motors. Or to be fighting against General Motors.

He: What would make you happy?

She: A garden, a river, the sky.

We see her walking naked through a wood, but this pastoral fantasy is shattered by the roar of a jet aeroplane overhead.

This fundamental incompatibility of male and female is a recurring theme in Jost's work. The woman is content to exist, and looks for fulfilment in the quality of her day-to-day life, but the man can only define his existence in terms of what he does, he needs to live for something. This view is expounded in the short 'A Man is More than the Sum of His Parts A Woman is . . . ' (1971), in which women are likened to a queen bee, and men to the workers and drones. 'l, 2, 3, Four' takes the insect metaphor even further, likening woman to the female spider which seduces the male then consumes him while he copulates. These daunting, and perhaps misogynistic views might be seen as underlying the male/female relationships in 'Last Chants for a Slow Dance' and 'Slow Moves'.

'1, 2, 3, Four' ends with an attempt at reconciliation. We are given this argument connecting domestic life to political issues: 'If you traced the wires by which el ectricity reaches your home back to their source, you would find a pile of dead bodies'. Then, coupled with an image of a candle being blown out, a girl says: I love you, therefore I will never use electricity again. This final conceit synthesises the opposites, male and female, rational and irrational, political awareness and personal love. But it is absurd and impossible. It seems there is no real solution.

The film ends on a close-up of a happy-looking couple, leaning against their house with arms around each other. But how long can such happiness last? How long will it be before irreconcilable conflict sets in?

Read the full version of this essay at: http://www.literature-study-online.com/essays/jon-jost.html

Ian Mackean runs the sites http://www.literature-study-online.com, which features a substantial collection of English Literature Resources and Essays, (and where his site on Short Story Writing can also be found), and http://www.Booksmadeintom ovies.com. He is the editor of The Essentials of Literature in English post-1914, published by Hodder Arnold in 2005. When not writing about literature or short story writing he is a keen amateur photographer, and has made a site of his photography at http://www.photo-zen.com

Author:: Ian Mackean
Keywords:: Jon Jost,Independent film-maker,Cinema,Director,Films,American,Media
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How To Buy Download Movie Files Legally From Your Computer

Due to fears about digital piracy, the film industry has taken a bold step, which seems to be working very well and catching on with the masses. Hollywood, fearful of what happened to the music industry due to piracy, and its vendors, coming under intense pressure, have began offering consumers the opportunity to buy Movie downloads.

At the moment, only two download services, Movielink and CinemaNow, are offering these new services. The new service of buying Movie downl oads online is changing the traditional way of releasing Movies. Both the sites will be having the Movie downloads at exactly the same time the DVDs will be released on the market. His will also bring Hollywood studios in competition with DVD retailers such as Wal-Mart and Blockbuster. Hollywood would now also be expanding its revenue sources.

Some of the features offered by Movielink include films from six of the top seven in Hollywood, with titles such as King Kong, Saw II, Brokeback Mountain, and the latest Harry Potter Movies.

However, there are restrictions involved this process as well. While Movielink will be providing Movies from all studios, CinemaNow will only have Movies from the studios of Sony, MGM, and Lionsgate. Movielink will not be having any Movies from Walt Disney (DIS), while CinemaNow won't have Movies from Warner Brothers, Universal, Paramount, Fox, or Disney. Among CinemaNows early offerings included Memoirs of a Geisha, Brokeback Mountain, Fun with Dick and Jane, etc.

Both Movie sites debuted with several hundred older films. Unlike their current ser vices, in which online shoppers pay around $4 to rent new Movies for up to a month, the Movies will be sold for prices similar to home video. That means, that each Movie will cost around $20 to $30 for newer films, and $10 to $20 for older Movies. Amongst the two sites, CinemaNow is emerging to the more aggressi ve site, offering some of its new Movies for under $20 as well in order to increase traffic to the site. It was also offering a two-for-one sale at the start of its website, where the second film costs $4.95 only.

However, in order to avoid direct competition with retailers, the downloaded Movies are available with several restrictions. Both sites only allow the downloaded Movies to be stored on computers or on game player like Xbox which have Microsoft softwares. Custome rs will not be able to burn or copy the downloaded Movies onto CDs or onto DVD players. However, you can share the Movies from one computer to another. Customers can also connect their PCs to their televisions to play the downloaded Movie from their computers onto their TV sets.

This new buy Movie download s services is a major change for Movie studios, one that is surely going to go a long way in curbing piracy. However, many studios are worried that the Movies will not be safeguarded if they stay on computers for longer periods of time. The effectiveness of this service, though, still remains to be seen.

Discover how you can get access to Over 80 Million Movies and TV-Shows online instantly right from your computer. Get a mp3 player Free just for visiting www.davincimedia online.com/Movie/index.htm

Author:: Justin R. Brown
Keywords:: Buy Download Movie, Buy download Movies, download internet Movies
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